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Source: Meet Jules Mountain, the cancer survivor who conquered the Everest Avalanche

From the aptronym department comes a pretty amazing story of survival, survival, and ultimate conquest.

Airports can be a stressful place. Wendy and Harley, mini therapy horses, hope to calm the nerves of anxious fliers. HUMANKIND

Source: Mini horses help calm nervous travelers at airport

I can’t help but wonder if Corgis wouldn’t do as admirable a job. 🙂

A new device that’s powered by sunlight could help solve water scarcity problems.

Source: How to Pull Water Out of Thin Air, Even in the Driest Parts of the Globe – MIT Technology Review

Not surprisingly technological advancements are of great interest to me. I also think I’ve mentioned how huge an opportunity providing potable water is in terms of world health. Here’s an interesting development that combines the two in a simple, and hopefully cost-effective manner.

LUTZ At the Lutz Cemetery, Andrew Lumish kneeled in the grass over a World War II veteran’s grave. Under a gray sky, he used a soft bristle brush to scrub the headstone.

Source: ‘Good Cemeterian’ volunteers to restore veterans’ headstones | Tampa Bay Times

Quoting the linked article:

He has restored almost all the veterans’ monuments at Lutz Cemetery. He intends to go to cemeteries that he hasn’t visited yet, to search for more veterans’ graves.

When he finds one, he will kneel in the grass for as long as it takes to restore the stone above the veteran’s body.

Then, he will do what he usually does when he has finished restoring a veteran’s monument.

“I thank them for their service,” he said, “and walk away.”

Very inspiring.

The World Health Organization has announced that Mexico has eliminated trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness.

Source: Mexico Eliminates Infectious Disease Which Is Leading Cause of Blindness – NBC News

Naturally I find this story very cool on many levels. What’s as great, to me at least, is that it seems that there’s a trend of stories like this in recent years. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen stories where this disease or that condition is cured or eliminated. That’s a trend for which this story is another great example.

A chance encounter at a medical supply store led to a young man with down…Read More »

Source: Steven Tyler Runs Into Devastated Fan In Drugstore, Decides To Do Something Unbelievably Kind. – InspireMore

All of a sudden Steven Tyler seems more … human, and in such a great way. 🙂 Be sure to read the linked story… it’s pretty cool.

This is actually the second story about him in this vein that I’ve run across in recent days. Check out This woman spotted Steven Tyler on a plane and asked him for a favor — the rock star happily obliged as well.

UCLA researchers successfully use a new technique to “wake up” a patient after coma.

Source: UCLA Scientists “Jump-start” the Brain of a Coma Patient | Big Think

Well, that’s pretty cool. Let’s hope that continued tests pan out….

A drug for depression could stop all neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia, scientists hope.

Source: Experts excited by brain ‘wonder-drug’ – BBC News

Given the aging population and the expected higher incidence of diseases like Alzheimer’s, this could be some very good news indeed….

Ten-year-old Isabella Nicola Cabrera plays her violin with her new prosthetic at the engineering department of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., Thursday, April 20, 2017. Isabella never had any doubt it would come together. “I felt right away that I’d be able to play,” she said. “I’ve always had perseverance.”

Source: Undergrads build prosthetic arm for 10-year-old violinist

3-D printing has always seemed somewhat magical to me, but this is a case where it just makes so much sense. It’s an awesome application of the technology.

Conversation is everything.

Source: The Royals Make A Perfect Observation About Mental Health | The Huffington Post

That mental health is getting “the royal treatment” is only good news. Too many people have suffered – and died – because of the negative stigma associated with mental health issues. This is fantastic.